International Noise Conference at Notsuoh
Laundry Room Squelchers. Photo taken from the band’s website.
Houston will get loud this Friday with its own installment of the International Noise Conference — appropriately hosted upstairs at Notsuoh with free admission — as just one stop on a 29-city tour to showcase the best noise that each city has to offer.
Cop Warmth member Juan Carlos Newton, known for booking hardcore, punk and noise shows around town at venues like Satellite Bar and Notsuoh, was asked by the founder of the International Noise Conference, musician Rat Bastard, to book the tour’s Houston date.
“This is the Houston edition,” says Newton. “The conference started in 2024, based out of Miami. Rat Bastard is the one who curates it and this is the first time he’s traveling with it. He’s the founder of [the band] Laundry Room Squelchers and he’s always put it together, so now he’s taking it on the road. He’s asking all of us to book whatever we think would be best in each city. The only rule he has is no laptops. So it’s noise, but there’s no laptops because that’s boring.”
The lineup is full of bands that have left an indelible impression on the local noise scene, one that has figured prominently as part of Houston’s music culture for decades, although Newton says that things have shifted — and he’s hoping to change that.
“Ten years ago, the noise scene in Houston was booming, and now, it’s kind of dead,” he says. “It’s cool because the lineup has a lot of legendary bands and a lot of them don’t play anymore. ::kai/ros:: is an old Houston band and I don’t think they’ve played in three or four years. Then there’s Concrete Violin, who haven’t played in two years. I’ve got Cop Warmth and we’re going to do a noise set, we have a few surprises for that. Thou Shalt Not Kill… Except is one of my favorite artists out there. It’s Adam [Ferguson] from Rusted Shut and he hasn’t played in three years either.”
Laundry Room Squelchers, Peiiste, Electric Sleep and Newton’s band Mephedrone will also perform at the free concert. “The goal is to have mentally stimulating music without laptops,” Newton adds.
The International Noise Conference Houston will take place at upstairs at Notsuoh (314 Main) from 8 pm to midnight and admission is free.
